Buddy Daddies Review
After Wit Studio and Cloverworks completed Spy X Family over the holidays, many fans wanted another show to take its place. Fortunately, another studio came to them and offered another show about cheating families.
Coming off the rise of the Spy X Family, Buddy Daddies had a lot to prove to people. While there are some aspects that will turn people away from it, Buddy Daddies provides material that is equal to, if not better than, what we got in the first season of Spy X Family.
Buddy Daddies is set on Christmas Eve. Both men share an apartment and spend their lives completing missions for money. They are tasked with killing a mob boss and going to his hotel event to kill him. Both men complete their mission, but bring their target’s daughter, Miri, home with them. When Miri is returned to her mother, it doesn’t go well, the two men keep Miri in their care to give her a better and normal childhood.
As expected, this story is about found families and explores the complexities of raising children. It offers great slice of life, intense drama and deep themes that will keep the audience invested in its plot. The comedy is hilarious and relatable. You’ll laugh at Kazuki acting like an overprotective father to Miri and Rei acting like an odd parent. It is the dynamic of this trio that will keep people invested in their journey to becoming a well-rounded family.
Buddy Daddies also knows how to balance light and dark plot points. The dark plot segments are just as interesting as its wholesome content. In addition, its many dark subplots are combined with the cast’s terrifying backstories. From Kazuki coping with the death of his friend to Rei navigating her troubled relationship with her father, Buddy Daddies delivers a chilling and thrilling story to keep the audience engaged.
Despite having an enjoyable plot, the story of Buddy Daddies suffers from several problems. For example, many of the cast avoid death in unnatural and convenient ways. In between, Kazuki uses a plate to block bullets and Miri avoids damage from a fatal shootout. It makes a lot of deathmatches feel ridiculous and less dangerous. Additionally, the anime’s resolution to Kazuki and Rei’s gloomy problems felt a bit rushed.
More time should have been spent exploring each character’s problems. This would allow them to feel satisfied and natural about their victories over these scenarios. Buddy Daddies faces a similar problem in the Spy X Family season – it doesn’t show our characters up to many killer tasks.
In the anime, Rei and Kazuki mainly participate in daily family activities with Miri. Sometimes they perform some dangerous tasks, but their murderous lifestyles do not mesh with their caring positions as much as they should. The story also falls victim to the tell-and-don’t-show approach and kills off characters too quickly. This undermines the tension and weight behind the scenes, such as Rei’s fight with her former teacher and the death of a man closely related to Miri’s character. While the story offers a nice balance of light and dark, the dark content is less than perfect.
Where Kazuki felt more grown up, Rei felt like Miri’s older brother. It wasn’t until Kazuki left the picture that Rei broke away from his careless habits and started acting his age. From helping Miki cope with her illness to supporting her during the kindergarten track and field competition, Rei feels more developed and developed than Kazuki.
Miri is the wild card character of Buddy Daddies. He experiences the characteristics and mindset of a realistic baby. He is not the most likable character at first sight due to his childish habits and attitude.
However, the audience will love Miri’s compassionate and selfless side in the middle of the story. From her incredible leadership skills during the zoo walk to her trust and love for Kazuki and Rei, Miri is not your typical whiny child. Side characters are enough. Anna, Rei’s father and Kyutaro stand out. However, the story never delves too deeply into their lives, so unlike our protagonists, they feel one-dimensional.
I was always excited to see Rei shooting at enemies with her trademark sniper rifle. Viewers will feel the weight of each character’s punch and run away.
Also, the Buddy Daddies soundtrack was as enjoyable as the animation. Everything from the background music to the opening and ending themes sounded catchy and fit well with the different tones of the series. I watched this anime with the Japanese dub and everyone sounded great.
For an anime that many people labeled as a rip-off of Spy X Family, Buddy Daddies went up against a lot. Against all odds, anime creates a unique identity for itself. It might not be perfect, but it made an impression on those who tuned in to watch it every week.